IL Volleyball Pink Out Games!

The Indian Lake High School Pink Out Volleyball Game will help support one of the school’s own staff members.

ILHS Math Teacher Amber Shively and several other cancer patients and survivors were in the crowd at the game against Urbana.

In between the JV and Varsity matches, Indian Lake Volleyball players gave a salute and pink flowers to each.

Shively ended up with quite a bouquet of pink carnations. She says, “When the girls came and brought the flowers, if definitely choked me up because it’s so special. Just to know they care and that everybody’s here helping us out is very touching to me and to our family.”

The event included a silent auction of many donated items from local businesses, a bake sale, 50/50 drawing, t-shirt sales and other sales. Organizers report more than $1,100 dollars was raised. With the total from the ILMS Pink Out last week, more than $2,000 will be donated to Shively and other local cancer patients.

During action on the court, the JV Lakers defeated the Urbana Hill Climbers in three games. The Varsity Lakers fell in four games. The 7thand 8thgrade volleyball teams, that recently wrapped up their seasons, also helped with the Pink Out and the 5thand 6thgrade Little Spikers were on hand.

Shively was diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring. Her chemotherapy treatments over the past few months have been successful in eliminating the cancer, but she still faces surgery and radiation treatments this fall.

The Indian Lake Middle School Volleyball teams scored a victory for themselves and made a difference in the fight against breast cancer with their first ever Pink Out!
The teams hosted the event recently at ILMS with games against North Union. Volleyball parent Jenny Kimbler recently celebrated being five years cancer free. She organized the event and says, "As a survivor, it’s so heart-warming to see how excited the kids are to take part in the event and to see the parents and community come together to help put it together with all the donations and time they give! However, it is sad to see through the years how many more people we know and love are having to battle this awful disease."
Team members gathered donations for a bake sale and silent auction. They also sold t-shirts and other pink items. The ILMS hallways, cafeteria and gym were filled with Pink Out signs the girls created.
The contest began with a hard fought loss for the 7th grade game. Between games, team members gathered on the court to read a cancer patient prayer and pass out flowers to every cancer patient and survivor in the crowd. The 8th grade team capped off the night with a victory over North Union, a team that Coach Sarah Elliot says defeated the Lakers just a few weeks ago.
"They worked really hard. It was definitely a great win for the girls and for the people who came to support the Pink Out."Kimbler reports the first ever ILMS Pink Out netted just over $635 dollars.
Meantime, the ILHS Volleyball JV and Varsity Teams will host a Pink Out during their home game against Urbana on October 3rd. This will also include a bake sale, auction and more. Proceeds from both events will go to local women fighting breast cancer, including ILHS teacher Amber Shively.